September 15, 2014

This week was great because we had a lot of cool new experiences. Okmar had his 18th brithday party and all he wanted was a new Suit for his misison and a party with his family and his new ward family. He was baptized just a month and a half ago and we have seen so many changes in him and his family. In the beginning, his parents didn`t even want ot go to church, but little by little we were able to halp omar chagne and his parents have changed a TON. Now Soledad (mom) is one of the best misisonaries that we have. She has a store on the main street here and she invites EVERYONE. They need to get married to be baptized and we are working on that.....but they are progressing a ton. 

We also had a little service project for the Helping hands worldwide service project thing. We cleaned the streets in front of the church and cleaned the church.

Then, the next day at church we had an assistence of 80 which is about the record. WE have our ward conference next week and we are going for a goal of 130! I hope we can get it! We have a huge group of investigators and less active families that we are working with and we are seeing a lot of miracles becaiuse of them. Like always I struggle with the organization a little bit and with a lot of people...it is a scramble sometimnes, but I am happy because I know that God will help us! 

Anyway, I hope you all had a great week and I look forward to talking to ya next week!

--

~Elder Hazlett

September 8, 2014

WE had a lot of cool experiences this weeka as we were able to listen to Elder Gonzalez of the area 70 as he talked to us a little bit about the importance of the Book of Mormon in what we do and letting the people have their own agency! We have to invite to committ, but we can`t do everything for them. Also he talked about how we will be able to baptize without using the book of mormon to teach, but if we want our converts to stay...then we need them to be reading and fulfing their commitments. 

This week we saw a lot of miracles as we found 17 new people to teach. We were able to bring 9 of those 17 to church which is more than half. I have been praying and focusing on the Elegidos and how I can better find them and have more faith that I will be able to find those that are wating and not just find those that are there. I think that has been the hardest thing for me during my mission is focusing on those that are ready to hear the gospel. I tend to get distracted in thinking that they are all just awesome and they are all ready to change...but that isn`t exactly true. As we started applying the book of mormon more in our teaching and contacts and just in every aspect of what we are doing, that is when we started to see a huge difference. I felt a little bit like Dan Jones on page 1 of PMG where he is standing on a crate preaching about the book of mormon. 

We had a leadership meeting and talked a lot about the importance of inviting everyone in order to find the elect. That has been the struggle in our Zone and we are doing everything we can to help them realize the importance of talking to everyone. Some of them feel down because they don`t have a lot of investigators to teach, so they don`t teach a lot, so they feel like bad teachers. Now, the only way that they can improve...is do! You have to find to teach, and teach to improve, so we are hoping that with the special trainings and the new attitude to find, we will be able to help them. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is the key to everything we have and do. I know that we have to read it and want to beleive it in order to gain a testimony of it. And I know that the Application of what we learn in and of the church is the only way that we can gain a testimony.

I hope everything is great back home and just know that I am praying for you! :) 

Love,

~Elder Hazlett

September 1, 2014

This last week was my birthday week. I won`t say it was the best week I have ever had, but I will say that I learned a LOT. 

We had some bad weather, fallen appointments, lost investigators, and not a lot of people came to church on sunday...but what we did have was one of the best Baptisms I have ever been a part of. Gonzalo was baptized!!!! He is the Boyfriend of Mirtha who is a recent convert as well, and the friend of Elvis who got baptized 2 months ago. Now here comes the miracle. Remember how Elvis was basically an alcoholic when we found him 3 months ago...? Well, his conversion is unreal. He literally has trusted 100 percent in the lord. He doesn`t make a good living, but he makes enough to live, and enough to get to church on sunday, and do visits on the weekend. Anyway, to make a long story short...Elvis 3 months ago was a 20 year old who was lost in the world. And this weekend he was able to Baptize Gonzalo. Gonzalo now has the goal of going on a mission in a year when he completes a year (he is 22) and Mirtha is also with her goal set on the misison! IT was a great baptism. Also, Omar (16 who is a recent convert as well) was able to be a witness at the baptism and almost every single person involved was doing something for the first time. It was a rewarding feeling knowing that I was able to be a part of all of that. 

the crazy thing that happened was when they threw Eggs on me...9 eggs and like 5 lbs of sugar! IT was pretty crazy. They came up from behind my and smashed the eggs on my head and then put the flour on top without me knowing. The birthday traditions are pretty crazy here but it was fun. I have the same birthday of the mom of one of our recent converts and so they invited us over for a barbecue. They smashed my face in the cake and then they did the whole egg thing. it was pretty funny.

This week, we started a purification process as a Zone (all the missionaries in the stake). We are focusing right now on purifying ourselves first, in order to be able to help others. in Alma 13:12 it talks a little bit about the purifying process. The only way to make changes in life, is by starting the process of chagne. "la mejor manera para empezar es comenzar" or "the best way to start is to begin". Change is a process, life is a process, and eternal life is the reward. As we use the atonement in our lives, as we learn to nderstand it and apply it, we begin to grow stronger because we are literally "coming unto Christ". 

I knwo that it is hard, but like elder Holland always says, "Salvation isn`t a cheap experience!" IT takes sacrifice, a little pain and suffering, endurance, and a whole lot of Faith. But if Faith can move Mountains, than you better beleive that faith can change us if we allow it. 

I know the Church  is true and restored on earth. I know that Christ lives and that his Atonement is a Gift and  a Privelidge for each of us to be able to use. I know that this work is amazing and it is the best thing that any youth can do. I hope you all have a desire to serve and the Faith to DO it!

Have a great Week! 

Egg in the eye.

They egged me and floured me on my birthday.....

That one was my companion.

August 25, 2014

I sent a voice recording, so that has the majority. But I wanted to at least write something for tçeveryone else to read. I am doing great. Just keepin on keepin on and finding more people to help. We have abaptism this next weekend for my friend Gonzalo. he is 22 and we are best friends. He left all his other friends because they were bad iunfluences. He is a champ. 

I was also able to teach the Gospel Principals class about misison work. IT was an awesome class and we had 15 people that were all eaither investigators or recent converts. The spirit was so strong and the best part is that everyone left the class, not so much with a great knowledge of missionary work, but a grand testimony of the importance of it. 

WE were able to see a couple of miracles this week that really helped us to keep the faith alive. There was a baptism and the man who baptized the investigator was a recent convert that I was able to interview for his baptism. AS everyone was waiting for us to get the baptismal font door open, they were inside already in the water. The key we had was a copy and didn`t work very well...we were trying for about 3 minutes straight to get the door open and we didn`t really see a lot of progress. WE were afraid that it wasn`t goping to open. Fianlly we were able to open it and Matias then continued with the ordinance and as he left the font his eyes were full of tears. I asked him what happened and he told me what they were doing to get the door open on the other side. That whole time on the other side of the door Matias (the one baptizing) and Pablo (an Investigator) were saying a prayer. As they finished their prayer and said AMEN, there was a click....the door opened. He said that it was one of the most amazing miracles that he had ever witnessed. It was the first person he had ever baptized and I know it will be something that he will remember forever. I gave him a big hug and he just hugged me and thanked me for being a part of the biggest change he has made in his life.

I love the mission! IT is so dang hard sometimes, and sometimes I feel like I am not able to do a whole lot, but when I think back on the things that I have been able to do and the change I have been able to make...that is when I rememebr that it is all worth it."The Church is True, The sky is Blue, and Complaiining...we ain`t got no time for that!! Go forward with faith and leave the complaining to those who don`t beleive in the Atonement.

I lvoe you and hope you have an amazing week! KEep me updated with more pics. They are almsot even better than words :)

~Elder Hazlett

Our Zone Activity and the giant pan of Arroz Chaufa that we made. (fried Rice)

August 18, 2014

This week was exhausting and auxhilerating at the same time. We had changes nad got a bunch of new misisonaries in the Zone, and I got  new Companion. His name is Elder Conrad and he is from Logan, UT. He is a stud and is really similar to Marshall (my uncle) so it is fun. We both love to cook, sing, and smile...so we are using those talents to help the people here. it has been really fun and I am looking forward to the time we have together.

It has been exhusting because it got SUPER hot this week and it hs drained our energy. However, we have had a ton of awesome things  happen that have helped us to be super excited about the new changesw as well. We have 4 new missionaries straight from the MTC in our zone, and changes in almost all the companionships which means a LOT of energy and excitement, and a lot of opportunities to learn.

We had  couple of miracles happen this week. One of them being a visit that we did with the young mens president and 3 of the deacons. We went to vsit a couple familes and we ended up finding a few new investigators. We were able to teach a great lesson and use the deacons to do examples and have them help us to teach. it was great because we were planning on just visiting less actives but we ended up ahving the  opportunity to teach a lesson to new investigtors from the beginning to the end nad the deacons got to see a little bit what missionary work is. IT was great.

Another miracle was that we werewalking in the street heading to our next lesson was that we had set a goal to talk to everyone! We headed towards a lady with a stroller to contact her and as we were about to open our mouths...she said"Hola Elder!" WE were so surprised and we got to talking. she said that she was goig to the church in Bolivia and she just moved here but she was never baptized. IT was a miracle because we were looking for new people to teach that had a desire to learn, not just to talk to two americans.

And the miracle that helped me to stay strong the most is when Gonzalo (22 years olds) who gets baptized on the 30th, called me last night just to see how our day went and to let me know that he isn`t gonna let his friends get him down anymore and that he considers us his best friends. He isn`t even a member yet and he already goes out on visits with us and is bringing his friends to church. I know that people chagne their lives when they come to know and feel the truth of what we have. I know that I am not wasting my time, no matter what anyone says. And i Know that this is the best thing and the only thing that I should be doing right now.

I hope that everyone is doing great and that you are all accepting the changes in your lives and taking advantage of them to help change you. I lvoe you and hope you have a good week! 

Elder Hazlett

P.s...if anyone wants to send pictures, they are just as good as words if not better (time is short) haha

Our Zone, MY new companion, and us at the Mtc in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A nice pic of the temple, Ausberto our 22 year old stud who is getting baptized in a couple weeks, and a crazy wolf looking thaçing that was dancing in the street saturday night! They ahve the best dances!

We made pork chops with veggies and mashed potatoes and gravy. IT was soo good and the first time that they had eaten anything like that.

August 11,2014

This week was pretty crazy!

It was the last week before transfers. We are receiving a ton of new misisonaries in the mission this wednesday and it is gonna be awesome. 

Miracle of the Week.

We were looking for a guy named "jesus" which is a typical spanish name and we ended up finding a lady near his house and we asked her if she knew him. She said no...but that she knew someone that was looking for us. She said she just moved here from Peru and her daighters were baptized there and were looking for the church. We talked to them and arranged plans so that they could get there. 

As we left, another older lady called our name and asked if we knew someone who was looking to rent an apartment. we said no, but that we would be looking. We then started talking and figured out that she was baptized almost 40 years ago in Paraguay. WE are going to visit her this nect week. 

We were able to find a bunch of less actives and help them come back to church after a long time!

Crazy thing.

Yesterday after church, we went out to visit people and literally 90 percent of the people were drunk and falling over....it was super sad. One guy that was in the church 2 weeks ago was in the street with a giant cut on his head....he didn`t even recopgnice us because he was so drunk. I think it was some kind of party or something but even the women were all drunk. (it is hard to understand or imagine that happening where we livem but here in this part of argentina they are all bolivians and it is tradition to drink)

Amazing Experience

The Temple!!!!!!! We took a family and 4 recent converts to the temple, saw a family that got baptized a year ago get sealed in the temple, and I got to see Eva and some of the other converts that i had in General Rodriguez (my last area). IT was so awesome and such a blessing.

What I learned;

That revelation and Discernment are very interesting study topics and neccesary in personal conversion! I suggest that everyone studies then both in true to the faith and applies the steps given. Personal Revelation is necessary for conversion and vital for salvation. 

I am loving it here even though it is the Hardest thing I have ever done. I love helping people and seeing them change their lives. I love seeing miracles and knowing that I was in the right place at the right time to be able to witness them. I know this church is true!

--

~Elder Hazlett

  Don`t know if you recognize them but they are some of my converts from my last area that I ran into in the temple!!!! Such a great feeling! :D

 The family that got baptized a little while ago, and elvis, and silvia.

A pretty picture of the temple

 I was able to jump on the bus and take a picture of eva, malena, and dalia (converts) from my lasty area as they left the temple.

us 4 elders celebrating the end of a good week saturday after a baptism

August 4, 2014

This week was pretty crazy...My letter to president basically summed it up, but to tell you a little bit about what is new here:

We eat every day with members and it is a ton. I am not losing weight...but not gaining either because luckily I can run with elder lindquist in the morning. My ward is 100 bolivians and they eat a ton so we aren`t lacking in that area. 

We had an open church activity last night and we had about 300 people who came and visited in the space of 3 hours. The people who came from the office of the church said it was one of the best turnouts that they had seen. We had some new families that came and we were able to teach them about what we do in the church. 

I printed off your recipe for coklkies today because everyone wants to try them haha. It has been a while since I made them last.

My comp is still elder santizo from guatemala. I think we are going to have transfers this next week but if not than I am fine with that because he is great.

WE go to the temple a couple times a week because it is closer to me than back home haha. who would have thought right?? It is a blessing. We donpt get to go in, but we get to visit at least.

Look up Cochabamba Bolivia on google maps and that is what it looks like where I am at. They build giant buildings and there they live 20 families. But each family only has a room and they share a couple kitchens and bathrooms. it is realyl hard...and sad...but it is culture.

We are teaching right now a few families but mostly a lot of YSA. They are all YSA age here and a lot of them come to work from bolivia because bolivia has no work right now. Elvis and Omar were two that got baptized this last month and they both blessed the sacrament alone yesterday. it was the first time for omar and second for Elvis. IT was a great sacrament meeting. 

Luckily the weather is a little warmer now. My clothes actually dry in a day. We have the choice to send the clothes in to get washed but it costs money and I prefer washing it and eating something more delicious haha. We have a little fridge and a stove but that is it in our apartment. no microwaves or washing machines. those are luxuries.

We travel by bus EVERYWHERE and it is pretty fun. Sometimes there are a billion people and we are all smashed together.

Anyway, If you have more questions, let me know! I hope you are all doing well and if you get the chance to read: The best is yet to come by Elder Holland. It is a great talk.

Love you!!

baby of a family in our ward and our friends that we found from colombia

 At the Temple :)

 Lunch with a recent convert family.

Another Temple pic

Presidents letter

I hope you are having a good week and are feeling more and more comfortable here. I know that you are used to living in other countries so that is a plus. This last week was a little bit hard for my companion and I. We had set goals that we thought were achievable and we worked hard to achieve them...but we came up really short. As we reflected back on what happened and what we can change, we came to the conclusion that it wasn`t necessarily the goals that were off track, but our spiritual discernment in working to achieve those goals. All of the things we did were with good intentions, but we didn`t allow the spirit to help us discern whether it is what we should have done or not. 
In the SOL this week you hit the nail on the head (for me at least). WE need to focues mentally, spiritually, and physically to be able to be in tune with the spirit. As far as the obedience and diligence, I don`t have a problem...but letting the spirit guide my every action has been the hardest part for me. A lot of times I am quicker to act than I am to observe...and my actions result in something ineffective. We had a lot of great lessons this week with a lot of great people, and we found a lot of new investigators that don`t live in our area, but at the end of the week I felt as if my decisions had been taken without meditating and consulting it with the man upstairs. 
I am now putting my focus in getting in tune with the spirit because I know that I cannot be an effective leader without letting the spirit lead me. 
I think the hardest thing for me so far has been that I have had to fall to learn and that is what happened in our area. We had 3 families that were all progressing and we focused on them with pure excitement that they wanted to be baptized and we got to the end of the week and they didn`t come to church and we were at a complete loss...we have a few people that still made it, but we hadn`t even visited them the whole week to help teach them because our vision was focused on the other families that didn`t really have a lot of interest. IT was hard for me to knwo that, yes we did work hard, but, no we didn`t work with the spirit. 
We were analyzing a few of the companionships and the difference of how they are doing now and we decided that they as well have the same struggle with accepting and working WITH the spirit in everything they do.
I know that we are going to move forward and that this is just a moment of learning. My focus and purpose has not changed and I will continue to help everyone receive the ordinance of Baptism and Confirmation. Thanks for everything you do and always being an example in having and working with the spirit.
Elder Hazlett